


As Time Passes

by SkiaWolf



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Angst, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Game Spoilers, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 12:24:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10990890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkiaWolf/pseuds/SkiaWolf
Summary: In the times where he misses Sorey the most, Mikleo found that it was sometimes the people you wouldn't suspect to be the most welcoming and comforting.





	As Time Passes

**Author's Note:**

> I was really busy last week so I couldn't write a long oneshot, but with all of the ideas I have swarming constantly around my head, I wanted to take a quick half an hour to get this written. Enjoy!

In a land filled with peace, birds sang from trees lush with leaves, their sound beautiful. Whilst clouds darkened some of the sky, the day was still lovely. The sun was warm, yet the breeze was cool, which was a relaxing combination. Sat on the grass basking in this sun were Lailah, Edna and Zaveid, who were staring out at the scenery before them.

“Sure has gotten peaceful around here,” Zaveid commented, resting back onto the grass with his hands behind his head.

“Yes,” Lailah nodded. “Even after all these years, his sacrifice has done a world of good for us.”

A silence fell from the mention of the boy they had once travelled with. Edna broke this as her gaze shifted to a head of pale hair, the person it belonged to resting against a tree. “Meebo's quiet today. Why is he not sitting with us?”

“Yeah, he's been doing really well,” Zaveid added, following Edna's gaze. “Going out and exploring ruins, seeing the world… So what's up with him now?”

Lailah's head lowered, strands of hair brushing against her shoulders. “I wouldn't expect you to have counted after so long,” she said, letting out a small sigh. “But it's been exactly one hundred years today since Sorey fell asleep.”

Both Edna and Zaveid shot their heads around at her, eyes wide.

“Oh, man,” Zaveid said, frowning. He sat up, resting his arms on his legs. “I had no idea.”

“I _thought_ he seemed a bit down lately,” Edna said, eyes shifting back to Mikleo. “But it wasn't really obvious, so I left it, thinking it might've just been me."

“I tried to speak to him earlier, but he asked to be left alone after a while,” Lailah explained. “He's missing Sorey terribly.”

“I'll speak to him,” Zaveid said, getting to his feet. Lailah looked up at him, unsure.

“He might not listen again.”

“Don't know until I try,” he shrugged, walking away from them without another word, both deciding to remain where they were and see what happened. Mikleo heard Zaveid's steps as he got closer, raising his head. He managed to force a smile, but his eyes shifted away quickly.

“Hey,” he greeted quietly.

“Morning,” Zaveid responded, settling himself on the grass next to Mikleo. He took a moment to observe him; whilst his appearance wasn't exactly messy, it was definitely different than usual. His long hair was loose, as though he hadn't found the energy to fight the thickness of it and tie it back, and his coat was unzipped. They were only small differences, yet from how Mikleo presented himself usually, he ended up looking dishevelled this way.

“It's a nice day,” he said, sounding as though he was pushing himself to make conversation. “Rain might end up falling later, though.”

“Seems like the perfect kind of day to go search for ruins, huh?” Zaveid questioned. “Get there in the sun and then hide from the rain. What do you say? How about the four of us go together?”

Mikleo shook his head, bringing his knees up to his chest. “Not today.” The hold on himself grew tighter. “Not if he's not here.”

“Lailah told me about today,” Zaveid said quietly. “I'm sorry, I didn't know.”

“It's fine. A century is a long time, after all.” He looked up at the sky, his face expressing the worst loneliness Zaveid had seen in a long time. “Though it still feels like yesterday since I lost him.”

Zaveid shuffled closer, putting an arm around his shoulders. “You didn't lose him. He'll wake up, remember?”

“What if he doesn't, though?” Mikleo questioned, his body stiff in Zaveid's hold. “What if I'll just be waiting for him forever?”

“Don't say that! Come on, Mikster, don't be so gloomy. There's no way that Sheps can die when you're here. He'd feel too bad!”

Mikleo managed to smile, though it soon faded. “Still, I don't know when he _will_ wake up. And because of that, I'm left here waiting, always unsure. I – I miss him, Zaveid. More than I've ever missed anything before.”

Zaveid brought him a little closer, Mikleo finally relaxing as he did so, head resting against Zaveid's shoulder. “It's understandable. Come on, you two were inseparable since you met. And that's exactly how you're going to get through this.”

“I guess I just feel like I can't sometimes.”

“I did as well, you know.” Mikleo looked up at him, his eyes a little wide.

“You mean –”

“Eizen, yeah. It was nothing like this, but when he left, I was just as unsure as you were. What if he died? And then next thing you know, there he was. A dragon.” Zaveid chuckled. “But don't worry, your Shepherd isn't going to return as a dragon, so that's something good, at least.”

Mikleo managed to laugh lightly. “I guess so.”

“And it's okay for you to get like this today, you know,” Zaveid continued, looking out at the scenery in front of them, a sad smile on his face. “It's normal that you miss him. Don't feel bad about feeling like this.”

“I guess I just hate being so depressing.”

“Your other half has been asleep for a century. You have every right to be a bit depressing, all right?”

The bluntness and lack of sugar-coating the situation actually helped Mikleo more than the kinder words of Lailah had done. He liked realism, and to know that he was understood even whilst they looked at the situation realistically meant a lot to him.

“I'll be back to normal soon,” he said quietly. “I just need to get over this day.”

“You better be! Edna's gonna get even more pissed if you walk around like there's a rain cloud above your head forever.”

Mikleo laughed. “Yeah, that's true.” He turned to Zaveid, managing to smile at him. “Thank you. Surprisingly enough, you actually know what to say sometimes.”

“That's the big brother intuition,” he chuckled. “Come on, why don't you sit with us rather than down here on your own?”

There was only a moment of hesitation before Mikleo nodded, Zaveid's arm removing itself from Mikleo's shoulder as they both stood up. Mikleo raised an eyebrow when he caught Zaveid staring at him, grinning.

“What is it?” Mikleo asked.

“I know it's more convenient for you to wear your hair up, but make sure his Shepherdness sees it when its down, too. He's going to _love_ it.”

Mikleo smiled, two of his fingers brushing through one of the curls. “Really?”

“Really. That guy's always found you beautiful, so chances are that he's going to be even more in awe at you as I am with Lailah. Just try not to put him into another long nap from him fainting.”

Mikleo let out a laugh. “I'll do my best.”

The two of them walked back over to Lailah and Edna, who both looked at Mikleo with a mixture of concern for how he was faring and also relief over him joining them.

“Getting on okay, Meebo?” Edna questioned as he sat down next to her. He nodded slowly, staring at the bright sky above them, watching a bird fly across it.

“Yeah,” he answered truthfully. After all, he couldn't remain depressed, not when he knew that one day, Sorey would be sitting on the grass next to him, both looking out at this beauty and appreciating a world that wouldn't have existed without his sacrifice.

Even if more time than Mikleo would have wanted passed him by, as long as he clung onto the thought of him and Sorey reuniting, he'd be able to live on despite the pain.

**Author's Note:**

> I forever adore Mikleo & Zaveid friendship. Like... Yes. Give me more.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
